Thierno Barry scored twice in five second-half minutes as Everton came from behind to beat Coventry City 3-1 at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Friday night. The comeback cancelled out Yann Gboho's opener for Frank Lampard's side, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sealing the win nine minutes from time.
The victory was a landmark occasion for Blues boss David Moyes, who equalled Harry Catterick's record for games as manager of Everton. Barry's brace takes him to 10 goals in 13 games in all competitions this season, and the result moved Everton up to fifth in the Premier League table.
National media reaction
Writing in the Telegraph, Chris Bacombe said: "If Everton's wantaway owners find a buyer for the club, an honourable gesture would be to ensure David Moyes gets a significant portion of any profit. They might also give a cut to Thierno Barry if a sale materialises with Everton in Europe."
Bacombe added: "Whatever the value of the Merseyside club when the Friedkin Group made its purchase, it is increasing weekly; Moyes's side are now level with fourth-placed Chelsea after this victory over Coventry City."
Record-equalling night for Moyes
Paul Joyce of The Times wrote: "No one in Everton's history has now managed more games than David Moyes and his 592nd match in charge felt like it followed the course of so many of those preceding assignments. A half-time rollocking, a crowd on edge and then a player he is helping to squeeze the very most out of his talent coming to the fore."
Joyce continued: "Thierno Barry ensured his own name was up in lights alongside that of Moyes, who equalled former title-winning manager Harry Catterick's tally, as two goals in a five-minute spell checked Coventry City's momentum."
Striker defying expectations
Andy Hunter of the Guardian said: "The wildly optimistic Evertonian – if such a being exists – could not have envisaged David Moyes' side fifth in the Premier League with Thierno Barry just behind Erling Haaland in the goalscoring chart when their transfer window closed in calamitous fashion. Yet there they sit, team and striker defying all expectations, following a stirring comeback against luckless Coventry."
Hunter added: "Equalling Catterick's collection of two league titles and an FA Cup may be beyond Moyes, who is in the final year of his Everton contract and working in very different times, but what he is doing with the smallest squad in the Premier League ranks as an achievement itself."
Special season in prospect
Michael Plant of the Daily Mail wrote: "Maybe Everton should request to play under the lights every week. It certainly seems to push David Moyes' team to new heights. Following hot on the heels of consecutive night victories over Newcastle United, Friday's 3-1 win against Coventry City was a reminder of why, under Moyes, there is renewed sense of optimism at Everton."
Plant noted: "Up to fifth, above Liverpool, and in a Carabao Cup quarter-final at Fleetwood, it could prove to be a special season." He added that Moyes will set the record outright after the international break against Brentford, with Keith Andrews, who was 21 when Moyes first took up the reins at Everton, involved.
